Annihilator - Metal review
| Band: | Annihilator |
| Album: | Metal |
| Style: | Thrash metal |
| Release date: | April 2007 |
01. Clown Parade [feat. Jeff Loomis]
02. Couple Suicide [feat. Danko Jones and Angela Gossow]
03. Army Of One [feat. Steve "Lips" Kudlow]
04. Downright Dominate [feat. Alexi Laiho]
05. Smothered [feat. Anders Björler]
06. Operation Annihilation [feat. Michael Amott]
07. Haunted [feat. Jesper Strömblad]
08. Kicked [feat. Corey Beaulieu]
09. Detonation [feat. Jacob Lynam]
10. Chasing The High [feat. William Adler]
11. Heavy Metal Maniac [Japanese bonus] [feat. Dan Beehler, Allan Johnson]
One day, Mr Jeff Waters, the amazing Canadian guitarist of Annihilator wanted to release an album which could become like a hymn to our favorite music, the Metal. He chose to call it "Metal" (easy isn't it) and invited a lot of guests, especially guitarists to play/sing something on the ten songs of the album. Jeff Loomis, Danko Jones and Angela Gossow (choruses), Steve "Lips" Kudlow, Alexi Laiho, Anders Björler, Michael Amott, Jesper Strömblad, Corey Beaulieu, Jacob Lynam and William Adler were the chosen ones and the album was created. "Metal" the new album of Annihilator will probably be a bit controversial and will never be a legend but all in all you can be sure that you'll pass a good moment while you'll be listening to it.
It's a really good idea to have a guest on each songs of the CD but the problem is that it can sound a bit "false" sometime too. I mean that it can be a bit like a copy paste when the musicians didn't really work together. If a song like "Army Of One" with its federator Metal chorus or "Downright Dominate" sounds like a real collaboration some other songs like "Clown Parade" (even with an incredible solo performed by Jeff Loomis) or Couple Suicide (especially with the choruses performed by Angela Gossow) are a bit more unnatural. It doesn't mean that there are bad songs, at the opposite, "Couple Suicide" which is more a Rock song than a Thrash Metal one is a however a real hit but yeah the vocals of Angela Gossow don't sound so natural. All in all, "Metal" is still a good album but like with the last two albums of Annihilator, Waters chose to do a "commercial" or "easy of access" Thrash that the old school Thrash fans will not find amazing. The riffs are great the solos are exceptional, the voice of Dave Padden is good but definitely not "thrashy" so even if it' s pleasant to listen to "Metal", that's a fact it's not a real album of Thrash Metal a la Kreator or Slayer.
Metal is well produced, Jeff Waters is near of the perfection here and his idea to add a guest on each track was a good idea but Metal is not perfect too and can sound a bit too easy if you see what I mean. The fans of the genius "Alice In Hell" will not have some good souvenirs with this new release but on the other hand and to be honest if it's not perfect it's still really nice to listen to this release. Personally I like a lot of the songs which are featured on the album and I don't see why I should be the only one who enjoys them.
Metal is not the album of the year. It's not a perfect and pure Thrash album too, but it's always cool to listen to it and definitely, Jeff Waters knows how to write some great killer riffs and I'm quite sure that the new songs will be great live. Don't expect real Thrash here but for sure you can expect some good nice music.
Comments
Comments: 15
Visited by: 189 users
| Infurnace Posts: 948 From: The Netherlands  |
Good review man! I agree with it. The album is absolutely not perfect, not the album of the year, but it certainly is enjoyable to listen to, even though it isn't as Thrashy as Annihilator used to be. It's a lot better than "All For You" and "Schizo Deluxe".
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| jupitreas hi-fi / lo-life Posts: 6659 From: Poland  |
I was expecting a lot from this album considering the class of both the musicians from Annihilator and the guest vocalists; however, I was rather unpleasantly let down after hearing the final product. I think "Metal" is an example of wasted potential. Very mediocre album in my opinion.
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| Opium Account deleted |
Opium
Account deleted
I'd personally give this album a 7 or so, seeing as it's terribly ordinary. The review is well written and highlights some good points, good job on that!  I'd also like to see Annihilator return to form again, like they did on "Schizo Deluxe", but only time will tell whether that will come about.
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands  |
Written by jupitreas on 29.04.2007 at 16:13 I don't understand your comment since only Couple Suicide employs guest vocals as far as I know and remember, the rest only features guest musicians. Metal isn't bad or good I would have rated it a 7.2 myself. Certainly a big step down from Schizo Deluxe this one.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| jupitreas hi-fi / lo-life Posts: 6659 From: Poland |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 29.04.2007 at 16:49 True, that was a typo  Anyway, the rest of what I said is still true, this album is a disappointment for me...
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| jadawal Posts: 241 From: Canada  |
not a fan of this at all, there's a couple good songs but other then that it sounds like garbage to me
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| -MeTaLlIc-OwL- Account deleted |
-MeTaLlIc-OwL-
Account deleted
mmm, gotta check it out.  the guests seem to be nice. Indeed not so "Thrashy" guests, but good musicians nonetheless.
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| ChristianMetaler Account deleted |
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| Deadsoulman Posts: 8004 From: France  |
A bit disappointing after Schizo Deluxe IMO, though what I appreciate in Annihilator is that it shows the commercial side of thrash and yet manages not to suck. This album is full of amazing riffs, as always.
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| Ahto Posts: 74 From: Turkey  |
Crap.. there are only a few songs which are above avarege, actually it depends on "thrash" point of view of someone... i am a thrash-head but i didn't like it
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| metlak Posts: 1 From: Slovak Republic  |
I agree with "the old school Thrash fans will not find amazing" I think, it's boring album
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| V8Thrasher Posts: 30 From: USA  |
I find this album highly enjoyable if you listen to it with an open "its not 100% thrash" attitude. sure songs like couple suicide and smothered arent even metal, one rock the other trendy nu-metal/metalcore. but both are exceptional in their own way. i found the album from start to finish pretty solid, and while not album of the year, its like a cool splash of water to the face after a long hot day. it feels good. highlights for me are Downright Dominate (Children of Bodom's Alexi really shines on this song), Army of One (Tribute to the Legends) and Operation Annihilation (the solo from Mr Amott really sounds like it could of been in an Arch Enemy song, and thats what makes the song soar). all in all, not album of the year, but it feels good.
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| Dangerboner Lactation Cnslt Posts: 7261 From: USA  |
Hmm this album is odd. The solos are just fucking great, but the songs are too formulaic for me to enjoy.
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| Jokerslayer777 Posts: 11 From: Italy |
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| AngryAnnihilator Posts: 1 From: Italy |
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